Kiddie Soiree: Zoo Themed Parties

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! It's your babe's birthday and she just loves animals or maybe you're one of those uber moms that has hired a petting zoo. Either way, there are some great zoo inspired products that are sure to make your kid's party a hit.

Buy some adorable zoo sipping cups that the kids can take home as a treat. Twelve dollars for a dozen reusable cups will make both frugal and posh parents happy.

Hang a zebra piñata ($17) and let the tots have a fun time trying to get the candy out of the striped friend. You can also choose from monkeys, hippos, and other zoo creatures.

Another fun activity for the kids would be playing Feed the Monkey. You can rent this game from local party stores or national renters but you could also try to be creative and make your own as well. The goal is to have the kids throw fake bananas into the monkey's "mouth".

And for party favors, the possibilities are endless. Kids will be twiddling their fingers playing with these vinyl animal finger puppets ($5 for 6 puppets). If you want something that is sure to be a hit at the party and at bath time, pass out Animal Bubbles ($7 for 24). Throw all the beastly paraphernalia into these cute party favor boxes ($4 for a dozen) and send those munchkins on their way.

At the end of the day, your lil bear will be tuckered out and ready to hibernate for a very long nap.

I see your point, but I'll be buying my kid a book/video about animals. Those animals belong in sanctuaries, and kids definitely DON'T belong right outside of thier living areas, shouting, banging on glass, littering, etc.

@foxie: Zoos are not sad places. They help spread knowledge and awareness to the masses. There may be some zoos that do not supply proper care and meet the animals needs (such as enough room to really thrive), which is a shame. On the other hand there are zoos that do incredible things like teach the public about preservation, deforestation, poachers, and animals on the brink of extinction. If zoos did not exist period in the world today, there would be some species of animals even closer to extinction, and many would still be ignorant to the problems that face our world's beings.